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Cult of Tor
Ursun is the most revered God of Kislev, but Tor is the most omnipresent. He has no real cult, no particular day or time of worship, few temples, no orders, and only one stricture, but Tor has little need for such things. Tor is part of life. When the sky shakes, and the earth trembles, there is Tor. When the lightning flashes, the thunder rolls, the wind screams, and hail lashes the ground like a horsewhip, there is Tor. He is in the thunder of hooves, too, and the flash of steel, for Tor is a warrior God as well as a sky God. As so much of Kislevite life is nought but battle and war, Tor is a constant companion, and no axeman goes into the fray without uttering a prayer to him. Tor is worshipped wherever there are storms and wherever there is fighting. The land of Kislev is no stranger to either of these, so Tor is found everywhere. He is most popular among warriors, and there are very few barrack rooms without Tor's bolt carved in a prominent place. Beliefs Tor has no cult in any sense that a citizen of the Empire would recognise. Instead, there are simply those who are more devout than their fellows. Perhaps Tor saved their life in battle once or sent a lightning bolt to drive off their enemies. Perhaps, they simply enjoy storms or find great courage through prayers to Tor. Whatever the reason, these more faithful types sustain the cult by adding remembrances of Tor in their barracks and on their shields, leading his fellow soldiers in prayer, and other similar actions. They also tend to any temples that may have fallen into disarray. The more dutiful could be considered a higher "rank," but they have no more power or authority. Much like Ursun, Tor prefers actions to words. Those who fight well and impress Tor with their courage and strength receive his blessing, which is typically the courage and strength to go on fighting. Tor cares only for fighting, and when there is no fighting, he amuses himself with the more attractive of Dazh's Arari or practices smashing his axe into the ground. Tor also has little to do with the other Gods, not because he dislikes them but because he prefers to keep to himself. Many of his followers likewise prefer only the company of warriors. Signs of Tor Tor's symbols are his axe, his thunderbolts, or an axe with a thunderbolt for the haft. Tor's followers typically wield axes, large or small, and many carve a stylised lightning bolt onto their weapon arm, or into their weapon's hilt. It is also common to braid patches of hair or beard into a zigzag fashion. Silver is Tor's metal, which Kislevites believe is made when his lightning hits the ground. Devout followers tie pieces of silver thread around their axe blades or weave it into their beards. Tor's warriors love their axes and mock those who carry hammers, considering it pointless to carry such a heavy weapon that lacks a blade. Short and one-handed swords are also considered ineffectual weapons. Tor worshippers in the military are less particular but still prefer the sabre to the short sword. Strictures Tor has only one stricture, and it is a sensible one: * Never stand under a tree during a thunderstorm. Holy Days Tor has no holy days. Storms are holy to him, however, and it is traditional for his faithful to stand in the face of every storm and display admiration at his power and fury. Prayers of praise are also offered before and after a battle—sometimes as the battle cry. Cultists Tor's nature and haphazard following means there are no authority figures within it, but there are many who have temporal power and are faithful sons of Tor. Many of the highest-ranked boyars and rota-leaders follow Tor, for example. Perhaps most famous is Mikhail Jolnirsson, captain of the Praag city guard. Mikhail was struck by lightning not once but twice as a young esaul (an ataman's steward) and concluded he is particularly blessed by the thunder God. He has therefore bedecked his barracks with countless images of the bolt and the axe, and he commands his men to display the symbols on their uniform. The lightning strikes have addled Mikhail's brain slightly. The best example is his recent conclusion that a third strike will finally show him what Tor has chosen him for, impelling him to spend a lot of time in storms, wearing a tall, conical, iron hat. Temples Tor's temples are very simple yet imposing. They are narrow stone towers with wooden peaked roves and are constructed mostly on bare mountaintops. Inside is a warm place to sleep, a bit of food or drink, a symbol of the lightning bolt, and little else. A passing priest is expected to sweep it out, fill the woodpile, and top off the kvas flask before leaving. There are many of these temples in the Worlds Edge Mountains, some that may not have seen a visitor in centuries. Some are used as traveller's huts by those caught in a blizzard or a storm, an irony not lost on the storm-loving followers of Tor. Of course, even the most devout son of Tor can get sick of a storm once his boots fill with water. Source * : Warhammer Fantasy RPG 2nd ED -- Realm of the Ice Queen ** : pg. 40 ** : pg. 41 ** : pg. 37 Category:Cult of Tor Category:Kislev Organisation Category:Religion Category:C Category:T